While there are effectively no legal barriers, difficulty in carrying out corporate acquisitions poses a major obstacle to boosting foreign investment in Japan, says James Abegglen, a leading expert on Japanese business affairs.
Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club in Tokyo, Abegglen, chairman of Tokyo-based Asia Advisory Service K.K. and author of “Kaisha: The Japanese Corporation,” said any difficulties potential foreign investors face — such as difficulty in setting up distribution systems and recruiting midcareer managers — can be “solved overnight” by acquisition.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.